AT&T Hopes Warp Speed Worm Shows Consumers the Value of 5G

AT&T has launched a mobile game that it says will demonstrate to customers the faster speeds and lower lag times that are delivered by 5G. The company says the game is one that “our fast, reliable, secure 5G was made for.” 

Warp Speed Worm is a multiplayer, interactive video calling game that employs augmented reality (AR) effects and can be played on Messenger and Instagram. It was developed by AT&T 5G, working with Meta Reality Labs, and is part of AT&T’s ongoing collaboration with Meta, which owns Messenger and Instagram.

“Our 5G paired with Meta’s AR technology makes your video calls more interactive and engaging for the whole family,” David Christopher, executive vice president and general manager, partnerships and 5G ecosystem development at AT&T, said in a press release. “AT&T 5G is designed to support multi-player, rich experiences like Warp Speed Worm that will take your group chats beyond the chat and to another level.” 

Offering a New Type of Real-Time Social AR Experience 

AT&T says that with the introduction of this game, it becomes one of the first brands to create content using Group Effects, a new type of real-time social AR experience that recently launched on the Messenger and Instagram apps. 

Group Effects are AR experiences that can be applied to everyone on a video call at the same time, dynamically and in real time, according to Meta. Launched in October on Messenger and then on Instagram, Group Effects take the familiar AR effects often used by individuals in photos and videos and applies them to groups on shared calls. They also enable multiplayer games like AT&T’s Warp Speed Worm. 

The introduction of the game follows another project built with Meta, then still called Facebook, that was launched in July. The “Space Jam: A New Legacy” AR effect allowed consumers to bring characters from that movie, in 3D animation, into the consumer’s own space when viewed through a mobile device. 

Promoting 5G’s Fast Speeds, Low Latency and High Capacity 

In the press releases announcing the launch of these projects developed with Meta, AT&T highlights the qualities of 5G that enable it to enhance these AR effects. These include performance, reliability, faster load times and more vivid graphics. For the game, the company says the fast speeds, low latency and high capacity of 5G enables group video calls to stay in sync.

In another project meant to show consumers the capabilities of 5G, on Dec. 13, AT&T announced the launch of an AR experience that enables fans to create AR-enhanced photos and videos showing themselves with virtual versions of athletes or team mascots. 

Read more: Augmented Reality at Chicago’s United Center Powers the 5G Connected Fan Experience 

This “Pose with the Pros” experience is offered by AT&T in partnership with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Chicago Bulls, and is available at Chicago’s United Center and as an in-app experience throughout the season.

“Our network is packed with the speed and capacity to deliver these custom experiences to a stadium near you and to the screen in your pocket,” Jay Cary, vice president of 5G product and innovation at AT&T, said in the press release.